


call my name (and i'll be there)

by inlovewithimpossibility



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Episode: s07e15 Training Day, F/M, Friendship, Post-Crisis on Infinite Earths Crossover Event (CW DC TV Universe), Post-Episode: s01e23 Sacrifice, Post-Episode: s02e13 Heir to the Demon, Post-Episode: s04e18 Eleven-Fifty-Nine, Season/Series 08, The Tommy and Felicity Moments We Deserved, This Friendship is the Hill I'm Willing to Die Upon, new timeline
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:35:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27087976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inlovewithimpossibility/pseuds/inlovewithimpossibility
Summary: a new timeline means a wealth of possibilities. a new timeline with tommy alive means the opportunity to explore a potential friendship overlooked by the writers in s15 times tommy and felicity were there for each other in the new canon timeline and the 1 real outcome of the changes
Relationships: Oliver Queen/Felicity Smoak, Tommy Merlyn & Felicity Smoak
Comments: 138
Kudos: 238





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Oliverslicity](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oliverslicity/gifts).



> This is a new one for me, I don't usually do 5+1 fics but this one got stuck in my brain just after the finale aired and we discovered Tommy lived in the new timeline. It's one I haven't been able to shake since then and well, here we are. There will be six parts to this, 5 parts in the new timeline and 1 that's a bit more abstract but all will explore the bond between Tommy and Felicity through the years as they help each other through hardship. 
> 
> I'm dedicating this one to Mandy, because no one loves Tommy more than she does and she's been a total rock for me these past few months. It's not an exaggeration to say that 2020 without you would've actually killed me and I'm so grateful to have you in my life. You're a total light in a very dark world atm and I'm manifesting all those simultaneous good times ahead for us all <3 
> 
> This first part takes place at the end of the Undertaking, just after Oliver saves Tommy, altering that part of the timeline. I sincerely hope you enjoy and if you do, and you're so inclined, please let me know by leaving a kudos and/or comment, they really do make my day!

Tommy can’t focus.

The past twenty-four hours have been such a blur.

Finding out that his father planned to level the Glades, killing thousands of people, all to rebuild the city for the rich and powerful is hard enough to take in, but also finding out that his best friend is the guy that’s been running around in a hood with a bow and arrow is a total trip, to be honest. Add on top of all that his kind-of girlfriend almost dying and nearly having a steel beam fall on top of him, safe to say that he’s really struggling to concentrate on following Oliver as they rush through the streets.

They left Laurel at CNRI with Lance after Oliver pulled Tommy out of the collapsing building just in time. The tall brunette stared at Tommy desperately but Tommy needs to go with Oliver, he needs to keep moving and do what he can to limit the damage the second earthquake device has caused.

He can’t believe that this is his father’s doing.

This is the legacy he’s been left to inherit.

He can’t focus.

“Ollie, where- where are we going?” He finally manages to stumble out as they continue to rush through the streets. His best friend has a kind of feral look in his eye as they run, pressing the button on his chest underneath the fabric of his suit desperately over and over again.

“Felicity! Felicity! Fuck!” He calls almost in the abyss, the terror in his voice growing starker with every word. Tommy frowns, forcing himself to think. The image of the blonde IT girl who Oliver has befriended over the past months flashes in his mind and Tommy immediately panics. They aren’t close but he’s spoken to Felicity a few times and the thought of her possibly being hurt or worse is completely unthinkable.

“Ollie! Talk to me, what’s going on?” He practically screams, trying to pull Oliver out of the panic induced tunnel vision he’s clearly experiencing right now.

“She’s not answering! Fuck, why isn’t she answering?” Oliver cries, practically slapping his chest right now as he tries to connect to her, and Tommy gasps as he finally realizes that it’s a comm connection he’s trying to talk through.

Which means…

“Felicity? She’s a part of your crusade?” He questions, his eyes blowing wide at the thought. He knows that no one’s better than the blonde with tech, she set up the systems at Verdant in less than a day and they work better than the operations at Tommy’s dad’s company. For her to be a part of what Oliver does at night though… he’d never have imagined his best friend allowing the blonde into that part of his life. Not when he kept Tommy from it for so long.

There’s definitely something about the blonde. It’s not just her vivacious personality or her warm persona, but Ollie is so different around her. He’s more open, softer, more like the man Tommy knew before the island in some ways and someone completely different that Tommy doesn’t know in others.

“She’s remarkable,” Oliver growls, whirling around to glare at Tommy and the shorter man notes in the back of his mind to not make any remarks that could even be interpreted as insulting Felicity lest _he_ wants to end up with an arrow through his torso.

“Hey, no denying that. I just didn’t know. I… she’s not answering?” Tommy frowns, his mind struggling to work through all of the consequences attached to that statement.

“No,” Oliver cuts shortly and Tommy takes a deep breath, knowing that wherever Felicity is, that’s where Oliver needs to be right now.

“Okay, let’s go,” He nods as he straightens off his shoulders and prepares himself to follow Oliver wherever he’s left the blonde member of his vigilante crusading team.

What Tommy doesn’t expect is for Oliver to lead him to Verdant.

“How the fuck did I not realize this was here?” Tommy questions as the taller man practically stalks through the empty club, a determined expression on his face. Everything clicks into place as Oliver leads him through the door to the supposed stock room that he’s seen him go in a million times before he presses a code into a hidden box and the door opens to lead to a staircase.

“Felicity! Felicity!” Oliver practically screams as he rushes down it, Tommy hot on his heels and the latter’s eyes widen at the sight before him.

The place looks like it could be a pretty legit home base for Oliver’s mission most of the time, but right now, the effects of the earthquake machine make it look like a very ineffective bomb shelter. Equipment is strewn across the floor everywhere, arrows, and workout supplies alike litter the floor of the cold and wet old foundry floor. The space over by the back wall appears to have taken the biggest brunt of the impact with parts of the ceiling having crashed down and Tommy’s eyes widen as he realizes that they appear to have fallen on top of computer equipment.

If Felicity was in here, that seems the most likely place for her to have been.

“Felicity! Smoak, where you at?!” Tommy joins in with Oliver's continued yells, his eyes flitting around the room for any sign of a blonde ponytail.

“Oliver?” Felicity’s voice finally calls back from the pile by the back wall and Oliver and Tommy are over there in a shot, Tommy’s breath flowing easier as he realizes that she’s not stuck under anything, just trapped in a small space between where a thick ceiling beam has fallen and her desk has flipped.

“Oh thank god. Hey, hey, you’re okay,” Oliver’s voice immediately drops to a soothing tone as Tommy takes in the state Felicity’s in. Her blonde ponytail is a complete mess, short curly strands gathering around her face. Her glasses are askew and her outfit is covered in dust from the crashes that have occurred around her, though her navy dress covered in horse prints and a baby pink cardigan still look incredibly out of place in the dark and dingy bunker. Felicity Smoak has been dichotomous since Tommy first met her, but never more than she is now.

“Here, give me your other hand, Smoak,” He finally manages to say, reaching his hand out to try and grasp the one of hers that isn’t already entwined with Oliver’s.

“Tommy? You’re okay?” Felicity gasps, her neck craning to try and see around the large beam that’s blocking him from her vision. Tommy smiles, shaking his head amusedly at the fact that she’s legitimately trapped in a bunker and she’s worried about _him._

That’s Felicity for you.

“In the flesh,” Tommy confirms with a small smirk, moving towards Oliver so that Felicity can see him. Her face lights up when she sees him, that blinding smile taking over her entire face. She stares at him for a moment before her eyes go wide, looking behind him as if she’s expecting to see someone else.

“And Laurel?”

“Totally fine, she’s with her dad. Can we get you out of here so that we can confirm you are too?” Oliver cuts in, speaking quickly with the same panic from earlier evident in his voice, and Felicity smiles, nodding her head as she slips her free hand into Tommy’s.

“Yeah,” She confirms and it only takes them a moment to lift her out of the small space, the trio stumbling out into a clearer area of the foundry.

“There you go, you okay?” Tommy questions, reaching out to brush some rubble off of her shoulder.

“I think so, nothing hit me,” She confirms, her eyes widening as she looks back at the pile of rubble she was just a part of. She shakes her head, a small shudder passing over her body before she takes a deep breath and looks back over to Oliver who is staring at her as if she might disappear any minute. “Oliver?”

Tommy steps back as Oliver suddenly surges forward, his arms wrapping tightly around Felicity. The blonde lets out a squeak of surprise and it takes her a moment, but her arms slowly slink their way around his waist as well. Tommy can’t help but note how strange it is; they’re basically as opposite as you can get. Oliver is dressed in dark leather, blending into the black of the night as he slinks around the streets, and Felicity is pressed to his chest, the complete opposite in her loud printed dress, bright lipstick, and pandas printed on her shoes. Despite all of that, they look almost perfect, like they’re made for each other, like their bodies were created to press against each other in this way.

It’s not the first time Tommy has wondered whether there’s anything more between these two, but it is the first time that it all clicks into place for him. Oliver needs Felicity, and she needs him. They make the perfect pair, and even though neither of them is aware of just what that means quite yet, Tommy knows that these two are inevitable.

“Hey, I’m okay,” Felicity whispers, so quiet Tommy almost doesn’t catch it. He feels like he’s invading on a private moment but he can’t look away.

“You scared me. You weren’t answering,” Oliver murmurs back just as quietly and Tommy frowns, not used to seeing his friend with his bravado down. Those few words belie just how much he loves and cares for the blonde in his arms, even if he’s not too sure what that encompasses yet.

“I know, I’m sorry. The comms went down when that fell,” Felicity explains softly, gesturing over to the ceiling beam that she was stuck behind, and Oliver lets out a long breath. Tommy can tell he’s thinking the exact same thing as he is; a few inches towards her and this could be a very different sort of rescue.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” Oliver whispers and Felicity smiles softly as they pull apart, staring into each other’s eyes with a softness that Tommy knows neither of them realise the gravity of.

“I’m glad you are too.”

“We didn’t stop it,” Oliver comments after a moment and Tommy sighs, his mind finally flitting back to the chaos on the streets.

“Hey, _hey,_ you couldn’t have known there was another one,” Felicity immediately comments, her hand reaching up to force Oliver to look at her. It’s a nervous movement and Tommy can tell that this kind of casual affection is new between them, no matter how naturally it appears to come.

“They’ve already reported 340 deaths,” Oliver groans and Felicity sighs.

“Oliver…” Felicity tries but Tommy knows she doesn’t have the words to reassure him right now.

So he has to speak up.

“Ollie, this wasn’t on you,” He comments, forcing both of their heads to snap to him. It’s clear they’d forgotten he’s here in the intimacy of the moment but Tommy knows that despite his grievances with some of his friend’s methods, he has the power to sway his mind right now.

“Tommy,” Oliver sighs, looking at him with a despondent expression but Tommy merely shakes his head.

“No. It was him. My father did this. You can’t blame yourself for not being able to stop it or not knowing the full extent of his plan. Who knows how many lives you’ve saved by shutting down that first device?”

Tommy speaks before he thinks, but he knows that he believes the words with everything in him. This isn’t on Oliver, it’s on his father. This mess is Malcolm Merlyn’s fault and Tommy has to deal with that in his own time but for now, he needs to convince his best friend that the guilt he’s feeling right now isn’t because this is his blunder.

“He’s right, you know?” Felicity comments, gesturing towards Tommy and he smirks.

“It’s been known to happen,” He chuckles with a preening tilt of his shoulders that makes Felicity snort and even the edges of Oliver’s lips quirk.

“Oliver! Felicity!”

Another voice sounds through the empty room of the basement and Tommy’s eyes widen before he looks to see Oliver and Felicity looking more relieved than scared.

“Digg! We’re here! We’re okay!” Felicity calls back to the voice and Tommy settles as he realizes that it’s just Oliver’s security guard and other partner in vigilantism, John Diggle.

“Hi Digg,” He smirks with a wave as the tall man makes his way down the stairs into the basement, his eyes widening at the sight of Tommy down there. Tommy watches as he looks over to Oliver who nods with a small smile and that seems to settle the tall man.

“Merlyn,” He greets with a nod but the mention of his last name has Tommy wincing right now. He doesn’t want to think about his father or the mess he’s going to have to deal with in well… every aspect of his life following this travesty.

“Please, Tommy,” He corrects and Diggle’s expression softens a little, clearly understanding Tommy’s aversion to the greeting.

“Of course,” He nods with a small smile and Tommy smiles too, nodding his head gratefully.

“You okay?” Felicity questions, her eyes searching over the tall man for any sign of injury.

“Yeah, it’s mayhem out there,” Diggle comments, clearly out of breath and Tommy looks over at Oliver and Felicity who are stood close to one another. A moment passes and they all share a look, before Tommy nods and starts towards the door.

“Well, let’s go help then,” He declares with Oliver, Felicity, and Diggle fast on his heels. What his father has just done to the city is reprehensible but if he can help in any way, maybe he’ll feel a bit better, and with the trio of heroes behind him at his side, Tommy knows that he’ll be okay.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set after 2x13, Oliver and Sara have some unexpected visitors in the Foundry following their dalliance and Tommy has a friend to soothe following his best friend's carnal activities.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for such a lovely response to this fic! I hope you like the second chapter which has a lot more Tommy and Felicity bonding within it!

Tommy honestly can’t believe what he just walked in on at the Foundry.

He truly didn’t believe Oliver could be that stupid, that idiotic, that…

God, he really does hate his best friend at times.

“Does Felicity know?” He questions of said best friend before he storms out of the Foundry, the rage seeping through his bloodstream red hot as he looks between Oliver and _Sara._

 _Sara,_ of all people… fucking hell.

“I don’t know why it’s…” Oliver tries to start but Tommy cuts him off, his teeth clenching.

“Does. Felicity. Know?” He bites, the anger growing stronger and stronger with his friend’s dismissal and seemingly nonchalant attitude.

“She walked in as you did about an hour ago,” Oliver finally admits under his breath and Tommy swears, the scoff that leaves his mouth loud and derisive as he shakes his head at his best friend.

He _cannot_ believe him.

“And you’re still fucking here? God. Oliver. You really are the biggest douchebag ever sometimes and that’s coming from me,” He bites, sending a dirty look to Sara as he starts to head towards the stairs. Realistically, he knows that the small blonde he walked on his friend almost fucking isn’t responsible for the heartbreak he knows Felicity must be feeling right now, but Sara also has eyes, and she’s been down here enough to have seen the way Oliver and Felicity have been eyeing each other.

“Tommy…” Sara tries with a long sigh but Tommy just shakes his head, briefly wondering what happened to the beautiful but very, extremely terrifying assassin who appeared this week calling Sara her ‘beloved’.

“Enjoy your fun. I hope it’s worth it breaking her heart over,” He bites and heads up the stairs, ignoring the cries of his name from his best friend as he storms out of the club and to his car.

He follows the familiar route from Verdant towards the city, stopping at the bodega on the corner of Felicity’s street to pick up two pints of ice cream and a bag of chips. He’s seething as he rushes through the checkout and he’s a little rude to the poor worker manning it but he’s honestly seeing red right now. He wants to get to Felicity and see her so that he can get the image of Oliver and Sara out of his mind.

Ollie and the Lance sisters… Tommy wonders if that’s a tie that’ll ever end.

He gets it, both Oliver and Sara are lost and are in places they feel they can’t get out of right now, but Tommy wishes his best friend would just pull his head out of his ass and reach for the hands that so many of them are reaching out to help pull him out.

Tommy, Laurel, John, Felicity… they’re all there. But no, he’s turned towards Sara who is just as lost as he is.

His head is spinning as he drives his car down the street and pulls up just behind Felicity’s Mini Cooper. On another day, in a different timeline, he’d make fun of her parking job despite her incredibly tiny car and follow her inside for a movie night full of laughter.

Now, he slams the door of his Audi and rushes to the front door of Felicity’s townhouse, banging relentlessly in his usual pattern so that she has no choice but to answer.

He knows Felicity, the two of them have grown impeccably close over the past year and a half since they met, and he knows that she’ll want to hide from the world and wallow in her despair for a while. He won’t begrudge her that, he just wants to be there for her whilst she does so in case she needs him.

She answers the door in a state of disarray. Her hair is thrown up on top of her head, she’s dressed in a sweatshirt that Tommy vaguely recognizes as an old one of Oliver’s and pajama pants littered with little Russian dolls. Her feet are encased in fluffy socks and it’s clear she’s been crying from the lack of glasses on her face and the tear tracks running down them.

“Oh Tommy, I was just…” She tries to start but Tommy shakes his head.

“Don’t even try Smoak, I walked in on that shit show too,” He immediately counters, shuddering as the image of Oliver and Sara sneaks back into his mind. He really thought Oliver was making strides and learning to come towards Felicity but here they are.

“I don’t know…” Felicity attempts to disguise herself, reaching up to try and subtly wipe her tears but Tommy just shakes his head.

“You’re a terrible liar,” Tommy shakes his head, and Felicity sighs, stepping back to allow Tommy to step inside. He internally whoops in triumph as he enters the familiar hallway. He’s here at least once a week normally, he loves the nights he and Felicity spend watching TV and movies, and Felicity and Laurel have really been enjoying the dinners they’ve been hosting at each other’s places. Her townhouse between the city and the Glades feels homely to Tommy now, and he immediately makes his way through the hallway to slump on the sofa in the living room. “For what it’s worth, I think he’s an utter idiot and you are worth so much more than all his shit.”

Felicity follows with an apprehensive expression but she chuckles at his words, her head shaking a little. Tommy can tell from the way she stands with her arms wrapped over her stomach that she’s not particularly looking to talk about it so he jumps up from the couch and heads towards the kitchen.

“But we don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to. I have wine, mint chip, and am available for a cuddle. I’ll even watch one of your sci-fi shows,” Tommy grins as he tugs spoons out of the correct drawer and reaches for two wine glasses. He dispenses the wine into the glasses and pulls the wrapping off the ice cream, handing the latter to Felicity so that he can carry the wine back to the couch.

“You _like_ Doctor Who,” Felicity scoffs, a smile finally gracing her face as she rolls her eyes affectionately at him.

“What can I say? David Tenant’s hot,” Tommy shrugs, settling back down into the soft cushions of Felicity’s couch. He smiles up at her, extending his free hand out towards her, “C’mere.”

Felicity sighs but settles into his side, cuddling up to him with her glass of wine as she points the remote at the TV and starts playing Doctor Who. They settle in for a chill evening, the ice cream being devoured after about an hour, and the wine also disappearing as they watch the Doctor and Martha travel through the stars. Tommy makes Felicity laugh with his commentary, frequently telling her how much he misses Rose and how he thinks he’d make the best companion.

It takes three episodes and a prolonged silence when the software Felicity uses asks them if they’re still watching for Felicity to give any indication she’s not okay. Tommy doesn’t realize it at first, but as the silence spreads over the open plan downstairs area of the townhouse, it’s quiet enough for him to pick up on the sniffling coming from the woman next to him.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Tommy immediately frowns, his arm wrapping soothingly around her shoulders as he tugs her into his chest. Felicity sniffles, turning into him as she cries and Tommy rubs a comforting hand over her back, feeling awfully helpless as his anger at Oliver grows tenfold.

Felicity is here. She loves him, and he’s being too pig-headed and wrapped up in his ‘I must be alone’ narrative to realize that his actions are hurting her. Tommy has no doubt that this thing with Sara is nothing more than a fling but he wishes his best friend would consider the consequences of his actions more.

…and yes Tommy knows how hypocritical that sounds coming from him considering the person he was until last year.

“I’m such an idiot. How could I ever think he would want me when people like Sara exist?” Felicity finally sniffs into his chest and Tommy’s brow immediately furrows, cursing Oliver in his head for ever leading Felicity to doubt how incredible and unique she is. He seriously cannot believe that she could ever doubt how wonderful she is but Tommy knows how debilitating it can be to feel shunned by someone you care about as much as Felicity loves Oliver.

He and Laurel may be in a good place right now, with a ring waiting in the sock drawer for him to get down on one knee when the time is right, but that doesn’t mean he’s forgotten how much it hurt when Oliver got home and sent Laurel into a dizzying confusion.

“Smoak. You are the most badass person I have ever met,” Tommy reassures Felicity, knowing that they’re words she needs to hear right now. They’re also the truth. Despite all of Oliver’s heroics, Sara’s incredible athletic ability, John’s talent of remaining calm in any situation, Laurel’s uncanny ability to draw the truth out of all of those she faces in court, despite all of that… Felicity’s unwavering trust and belief in the face of adversity is something Tommy respects beyond belief. She’s a whiz with a computer and does things with a keyboard Tommy never even thought possible, but it’s her amazing strength of character that Tommy’s admired from the day they met.

“Yeah right,” Felicity scoffs and Tommy knows she’s rolling her eyes even though he can’t see her face.

“I mean it. There’s no one like you, Felicity. And Ollie? He is head over heels in love with you,” Tommy assures her and he shakes his head when he hears her answering scoff, “He is. He’s just being very _Oliver_ about it right now.”

Felicity lets out a wry chuckle at that, pulling away from his chest a little to lean her forehead against his shoulder as she groans loudly, “Why couldn’t I be in love with someone less frustrating?”

“A question I’ve asked myself many a time,” Tommy laughs, knowing that as much as he loves Laurel, she can drive him up the _wall._ He smiles down at Felicity, reaching out to brush some of her stray curls away from her face. His heart aches for her and he wishes he could fix it, but he knows all he can do is be here for her and support her, “But hey, we are going to wallow and cry all we want tonight but then tomorrow, you are going to get up and face the world with that chin help high. You know why?”

“Why?” Felicity sniffs, looking up at him with wide, dubious eyes, and Tommy smiles, gripping her chin gently in his hand.

“Because you are Felicity Smoak, the most badass hacker and best all-round human I know, and no idiotic pine tree of a man is going to break your stride,” He answers with a smirk, bopping her on the end of the nose to elicit a brighter smile out of her when his words only quirk the edges of her lips.

“You’re the best, Tommy,” She smiles, curling back up next to him again and Tommy smiles, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

“You’ve done the same for me a thousand times over, Smoak,” He waves her off, settling back into the cushions to hold her properly.

Tommy has no doubt that Oliver will eventually realize how much he adores Felicity and that he’ll reach a place in his healing from the past to be able to accept the love that she returns to him. He knows that this thing with Sara is fleeting but that’s what makes it doubly frustrating because Felicity is here and Tommy knows how much she loves his best friend. He knows that Oliver and Felicity will get there in the end and he’ll be here to support them both through that journey. For him, Felicity has come to mean almost as much to him as Oliver, and he loves her like a sister.

He’ll celebrate their highs with them and support them through their lows because that’s what brothers do. He’s needed here tonight but he’s already planning at least five different ways to rip Oliver apart for his behavior because whilst he loves him, he clearly needs a push to get through the dark hole he’s found himself in. He’ll soothe Felicity tonight and yell some sense into Oliver tomorrow.

Because what else are brothers for?


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set after 4x18, Felicity and Oliver help Tommy at his lowest point.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for such a wonderful response to the first two chapters of this story! I seriously hope that you enjoy this next installment! This is the one where the new canon timeline (canon in my mind lol) comes into play the most. Tommy is obviously alive, as is Moira, but the other thing to note in this version of canon is that Oliver and Felicity are married in S4. I sincerely hope you enjoy and if you're so inclined, let me know by leaving a kudos and/or comment, they seriously make my day!

Felicity sits on the couch in the loft, her gaze staring into the abyss before her, struggling to concentrate on anything particularly real. She honestly cannot believe the events of the past few days, Laurel, like Sara, had always seemed so invincible to Felicity. She had an aura around her and a determination that Felicity always thought would keep her fighting until the last possible moment.

She supposes that’s what she did do in the end. She fought until the end, the end was just a lot sooner than any of them imagined.

The memory of her body laying there, convulsing in the hospital bed as the doctors and nurses did everything they could to revive her burns in Felicity’s mind. The harrowing cry that Tommy had let out from next to her as her heart rate flatlined and the usual strong but shaky embrace from Oliver that she’d fallen into as her own tears took over…

It’s a moment she knows she’ll never forget.

“Honey?”

Oliver’s voice is quiet and soft and Felicity feels rather than sees him sink into the couch cushions next to her. She takes a deep breath and directs her gaze over to him, her eyes widening to fill with tears as she confronts the reality of having lost Laurel all over again.

She’s so grateful to have had her husband at her side these past few days. They’re dealing with a lot at the moment, with the discovery of his nine-year-old son who his mother apparently knew about. Oliver is warring with Moira over her keeping William a secret but she’s glad the two of them have stayed strong throughout it. They’ve only been married a few months, but they’ve created a stable base over the past years that makes them an incredible team and that’s helped them immensely as things seem to have come crashing down around them over the past weeks.

“I just honestly can’t believe she’s gone,” Felicity whispers under her breath, the tears beginning to slip down her face as the memories of Laurel come flooding back. She knows she doesn’t have the history with her that Tommy and Oliver and Thea have, but Laurel was one of her closest friends. The thought of their dinner and movie nights, the long hours spent in the bunker together, the hardships they helped each other through, their weddings, and the fact they were a part of each other’s wedding parties… it’s painful to think of. She just misses her so much.

“I know,” Oliver sighs, and Felicity can see the pain behind his eyes. It’s something they’ve been dealing with a lot over the past few days since Laurel passed. Oliver feels guilty for it, immensely so, and Felicity doesn’t know what she can do to convince him that it’s not his fault.

“I’m so worried about Tommy, he’s not answering his phone, he won’t answer the door,” Felicity sighs, looking over to their own apartment door as if she might will him to appear asking for their support. Their friend and Laurel’s husband is obviously taking her passing with incredible difficulty and Felicity just wishes there was something they could do to help him through it. She can’t imagine what he must be feeling, she knows if she ever lost Oliver, she would be completely despondent.

“He might not want to be around people right now, love,” Oliver reminds her softly, sinking back into the couch cushions and wrapping an arm around her. Felicity sighs and sinks into the warmth of his arms, feeling incredibly grateful for him all over again. The tragedy of Laurel’s death has only reaffirmed to Felicity how precious her and Oliver’s love is and how they need to celebrate it at every given chance, because tomorrow isn’t always a sure thing given what they do.

“I’d just like to know that he’s okay. Well, I know he’s not okay but…” Felicity rambles, sighing as she trails off and turns her head into Oliver’s chest. She feels him press a kiss to the top of her head as he hums and she closes her eyes, savoring the feeling for a moment as she shakes a little within the warmth of his embrace.

Their small moment is interrupted by a knock on the door and the couple separate, their eyes meeting in a confused look before Felicity stumbles off the couch and towards the door.

“Tommy!” She exclaims in surprise at the sight of her friend stood behind it. No one’s seen him in days, not since the funeral where Oliver had to practically carry him from the grave to the car hours after the rest of the guests had left. He looks every bit the mess that Felicity feels. His hair sticks up in every direction, the bags under his eyes look like they’re carrying a monthly food supply for a family of eight, and his clothes are so rumpled that it looks like he screwed them up intentionally before putting them on. It’s clear from his expression that he’s lost and despondent and Felicity wants nothing more than to wrap him up in her arms, but she’s not too sure how he’d react to that right now.

“I don’t mean to intrude,” He croaks out, his voice hoarse and broken as he seeks out Oliver’s eyes over Felicity’s shoulder before he looks back to her desperately.

“Don’t be silly, come in,” Felicity assures him with her best soothing smile, stepping to the side to allow him to step into the loft.

“You want a drink, buddy? We’ve got coffee, tea, something stronger?” Oliver questions softly, standing from the couch and making his way to the kitchen area of the open-plan loft.

“Tea sounds good, thanks Ollie,” Tommy answers just as quietly, taking a deep breath before he walks to the couch and sits down, holding his hands primly in his lap. It’s the most polite Felicity has ever seen him be in this apartment and it makes her heart clench in a painful vice as she tries to contemplate how he might be feeling right now.

Felicity follows him, settling on the edge of the armchair opposite to him, giving him space in case that’s what he wants.

“I couldn’t be in that apartment. She’s everywhere there,” Tommy offers, clearly feeling like he needs to give an explanation as Oliver returns with the tea to place in front of him.

“Our door’s always open for you, you know that,” Oliver waves him off with a warm smile, sinking into the armchair next to Felicity’s.

He has good intentions with the move, but it’s clear it’s overwhelming for Tommy to suddenly be faced with them both looking at him, comforting and sympathetic expressions on their faces.

“I…” He tries to speak but a sob wracks through his body and he begins to cry, his frame doubling over.

“Oh Tommy, come here,” Felicity soothes, immediately standing from her chair and rushing over to the man she sees as a brother. Her arms are around him in seconds and he leans into her, his head burrowing into her shoulder as his body wracks with sobs. Felicity feels her own tears begin to slip down her face as she holds him, all of the pain and fear and stress and heartache of the past days coming rushing out of him.

“We were just getting started, you know? We should’ve had so much more time,” He sniffles once his sobs calm a little with his head still buried in Felicity’s shoulder, and the blonde sighs sympathetically, reaching up to smooth her head caringly over his hair.

“You should’ve,” She answers simply, not having anything else to say to that. It’s _not_ fair, they deserved so much more time together, and Felicity cannot express that sadness that fills her at the thought that they’re not going to get that time.

“And now she’s gone and I… I don’t know who I am without her. How am I supposed to just keep going?”

“You don’t have to keep going, buddy. Not right now,” Oliver answers softly as he moves to settle on the other side of Tommy, his hand rubbing soothing circles over his best friend’s back.

“He’s right. You’re allowed to feel broken right now,” Felicity reassures, pulling back just enough to look into Tommy’s eyes in an attempt to convince him that whatever he’s feeling, that’s okay right now.

They stay there for a long while, the three of them entangled on the couch. They all cry some more, clinging onto each other and drawing strength from each other. It’s what Felicity has needed for the past few days, to just take a moment to grieve and feel the sadness that flows through her. She takes the time to remember the most beautiful parts of Laurel, the parts that Felicity adored about her friend, and she revels in those, allowing herself to mourn the loss of those beautiful things from the world.

After a while, Tommy pulls back. He wipes the tears from his face (a rather futile mission considering new ones simply slip from his eyes) and he looks between Oliver and Felicity.

“What do we do now?” He questions in a small voice, clearly lost and despondent and Felicity smiles softly, reaching up to stroke her thumb over his cheek.

“First thing’s first, you need to shower. You smell, Merlyn,” She smirks, winking through her tears when Tommy’s jaw drops open.

“Hey, you can’t be mean to me, Smoak. My wife’s just died. Ollie, tell your wife she’s not allowed to be mean to me right now,” Tommy gasps, immediately whirling around to look at Oliver. Felicity’s husband laughs, shaking his head, and it’s beautiful for a moment just to hear the sound of joy after so much pain.

“You do smell, buddy,” Oliver counters with a wrinkle of his nose and Tommy pouts before he takes a deep breath.

“I’ll shower if Felicity lets me use that incredible vanilla scrub thing she has,” Tommy concedes and Felicity smiles, nodding her head.

“It’s all yours,” She assures him, her hand rising to brush through his messy hair. It’s clearly been neglected for a few days and she knows that he’ll feel better in himself after a shower. They’ve got a long journey ahead of them but Laurel wouldn’t want them to lose themselves in this, of that Felicity is certain.

“Thanks, guys,” Tommy sighs as he looks between them, the slightest hint of a smile playing on his lips.

“No need for thanks, buddy,” Oliver smiles, nudging his shoulder with his own and Tommy nods.

“We love you, Merlyn,” Felicity whispers as she wraps him in one last hug, and Tommy sighs as he leans into her.

“Love you too, Smoak,” He whispers back just as quietly, turning to press a kiss to her temple before he stands and heads upstairs towards their bathroom.

Felicity sighs, slumping into Oliver once their brother is out of sight and he catches her as she knew he would, holding her safely in his arms.

“He’s going to use my big, fluffy towel, isn’t he?” Oliver comments after a while and Felicity smiles, cuddling into the embrace of his arms.

“I hope not, I already used it this morning,” She counters with a small smirk, laughing for the first time in days as Oliver gasps and slides his hands up her sides to tickle her in retaliation.

It feels good to laugh and to know that they’re doing what Laurel would’ve wanted them to, looking after Tommy and respecting the legacy she’s left behind. The Black Canary will go down in Star City history as one of the greatest heroes the city has seen and Laurel’s family will remember her as a bright spark in their lives, faded far too soon.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set around 7x15, Felicity and Oliver have some incredibly joyous news to share with their best friend and brother

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sticks head around door* anyone still there? So sorry about the delay here, life just got in the way! Thank you all so much for such a wonderful response to the first chapters of this fic and I sincerely hope you enjoy this lighter chapter. If you do, and you're so inclined, please let me know by leaving a kudos and/or comment, they really do make my day!

“If you got John, I get Tommy,” Felicity comments as she stands next to the couch in her and Oliver’s apartment, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at her husband. 

“He guessed!” Oliver counters immediately, throwing his arms up in the air in exasperation as he stands a few feet away, clearly already done with this argument. 

Sucks to be him because Felicity is not yet. 

“You said the words!” 

“You started the conversation!” 

This back and forth has been going on for a good ten minutes, the two of them bickering non-stop about who it is that gets to tell their best friend about their good news. 

That good news being that Felicity is pregnant. 

She honestly still can’t quite believe it. After all they’ve been through this year with Oliver going to prison and the discovery of his secret half-sister, the blessing that is the life growing inside of her is dearly needed. Their little bundle of joy is going to be so loved… if they can decide on how exactly they’re telling all the people who will love them so deeply. 

John is a non-starter, their other best friend and brother had them figured out from the get-go when he arrived in the bunker earlier that day so Felicity is determined that telling Tommy will go smoother. She just needs to convince Oliver of her plan first. 

“I want to tell Tommy,” She states simply, staring Oliver down with a slightly softer expression than her previous tactic. Oliver meets her eyes, sighing a little as he looks at her with a softer look to his own features. 

“You know he was my best friend first, right?” He questions with a small smirk, shaking his head amusedly.

Felicity knows by his gentle tone that she’s wearing him down so she pulls out the big guns, tilting her head to the side just a little, letting her eyes widen, and pressing her lips out in the smallest of pouts. 

“Steals my heart, steals my best friend…” Oliver comments with an amused scoff under his breath as he pushes off of the couch and walks over to her. 

“But I can do it?” Felicity questions excitedly as she stares up at him, a grin covering her face. 

“You can do it,” Oliver concedes and she cannot help the small squeal she lets out. 

“Yay! Because I already planned it all out,” She admits with a small smile, reveling in the confused look that crosses her husband’s features. 

“You did?” 

“Yup, look,” She gestures to the three present bags that she’s honestly surprised her super-vigilant-vigilante husband hasn’t picked up on yet. Oliver frowns for a moment but moves over to the coffee table, lifting the t-shirt out of the bag and holding it out so that he can properly read the words ‘Uncle In Training’ printed on the fabric. 

“Felicity…” Oliver chuckles, looking back at her with an amazed expression that tells her just how much he loves the shirt. 

“I have one for John too but obviously he guessed,” Felicity explains with a smile, gesturing to the bag in the middle of the trio. She knows that Tommy is  _ far  _ more likely to actually wear the shirt than John is but she couldn’t resist when she saw them. 

“They’re perfect,” Oliver grins as he folds the present and places it neatly back in the bag, beckoning Felicity over with a crooked finger. He tugs her into his arms when she’s close enough, pressing a long kiss to her lips as they sway in the dimming afternoon light. 

“I love you,” Felicity sighs contently as they pull apart, still completely and utterly amazed that they’re  _ here.  _ They’re having a baby… not bad for a couple she once described as ‘unthinkable’. 

“I love you so much,” Oliver replies with so much sincerity it takes her breath away. He presses a long kiss to her forehead before he turns to the other bag. “Is this for William?” 

“It is,” Felicity confirms, hanging onto his arm as Oliver carefully removes the t-shirt in there and laughs gleefully at the sight of the words ‘Best Big Brother-To-Be’. 

“You’re the best stepmom ever,” He grins, pressing a kiss to her forehead before the doorbell rings loudly and they’re interrupted. 

“That’ll be him,” Felicity notes as Oliver hides William’s t-shirt away. The sound of a key turning in the lock confirms that it’s Tommy, but their best friend and brother are never satisfied without making an entrance. 

“I have arrived!” 

“Yup, he’s here,” Oliver deadpans with a small smirk as he watches his best friend literally slide towards them, throwing his arms out to the side dramatically. Truthfully, it’s still so novel to see Tommy behaving a little more like the bubbly, kind, and charming man Felicity adores that she can’t begrudge him his dramatics. Laurel’s death has had a profound impact on him and whilst he’s found the more energetic side of his personality now, three years on, Felicity knows that he’s still haunted by her loss every day. 

“Is that a present? Is it for me?” Tommy asks, his eyes lighting up at the sight of the three bags behind them and Oliver and Felicity share a look, both of them looking like deer caught in the headlights. 

“Okay, we’re doing this right away?” 

“Never one to beat around the bush when there are gifts involved, Smoak, you know this,” Tommy grins, bouncing on his toes and Felicity snorts, shaking her head amusedly at his antics. 

“Alright, come sit down,” She prompts, gesturing him over the couches with a warm smile. 

“Coffee, Tommy?” Oliver offers but Tommy shakes his head, hurtling over the back of the couch to sit cross-legged like a small child awaiting praise for sitting nicely. 

“Nope. Gifts please.” 

“It’s one gift, buddy,” Oliver snorts with an affectionate roll of his eyes but Tommy just takes it in his stride, reaching out towards Felicity with grabby hands. 

“Gimme.” 

“He’s the baby,” Felicity hears Oliver comment underneath his breath amusedly as she hands the bag over to him and she does nothing to hide her snort in response to the accurate statement. 

“Here you go, Tommy,” She smiles warmly as she lets go of the gift bag, laughing as her friend tears through the wrapping paper to pull the t-shirt out of the bag. 

He frowns for a moment, reading over the words a few times before he lets out an audible gasp and his gaze flies back up to where Felicity has leaned back against Oliver. 

“Wait, really?” He questions, his voice thick as his eyes fill with tears and Felicity feels herself getting choked up too at the sight of his emotional excitement. 

“Really, we’re having a baby,” Oliver comments gently with a grin, his hand rubbing softly over Felicity’s back and they both watch as Tommy grins, before he snivels, the emotions clear on his face. 

“I’m gonna cry,” He comments needlessly and Felicity feels her heart clench at the sight of him clearly so happy for them. 

“Tommy,” Oliver melts and Felicity knows that his pure reaction is getting to her husband as well. This is his best friend and to see him so excited about their baby… it’s overwhelming for them all. 

“I love you guys so much,” Tommy sniffles, looking at them happily through their tears and Felicity’s vision blurs as a wave of joy brings another bout of tears. 

“We love you too, buddy, and this kid is going to have one of the best uncles there is,” Oliver answers with sniffling speech of his own and Felicity swallows thickly, smiling at Tommy widely. 

“This kid is going to be the most awesome kid there is,” He tells them decisively and Felicity grins, her gaze drifting up to Oliver affectionately. 

“Don’t we know it,” She agrees softly, her expression melting a little as she stares into her husband’s eyes. They’re really giving William a baby sister… it’s all she’s wanted for so very long. 

“C’mere, I want a hug!” Tommy suddenly declares and Felicity cannot deny him his joy so she’s out of her seat and across to the other couch in seconds, falling into the familiar embrace of her friend’s arms. 

“Be careful,” Oliver’s worried voice calls out almost immediately and Felicity grins as Tommy snorts, tugging back from their hug to catch her eye.

“Oh my god, has he stopped that at all?” He questions with a quirked eyebrow and Felicity grins, glancing over at Oliver affectionately. 

“Nope, can barely walk to the bathroom without him filling out a risk assessment,” She chuckles with an affectionate roll of her eyes, smirking when Oliver splutters indignantly as Tommy laughs. 

“I’m not  _ that  _ bad,” Oliver insists but Felicity merely shakes her head, turning to look at her husband properly. 

“Oliver, honey, I love you, but you stopped me from eating chocolate last night,” She deadpans and Tommy gasps loudly. 

‘You didn’t!” 

“I learned my lesson,” Oliver winces with a shudder, clearly remembering the bout of her loud voice that he made himself subject to with that  _ serious  _ lapse in judgment. 

“I’m so excited, and I’ll bring you all the chocolate, Smoak,” Tommy assures her from next to her with a wide grin and Felicity grins, falling back into his hug. 

“And this is why I love you,” She giggles, allowing herself to get caught up in the joy of it all. 

They’ve still got a long way to go with Emiko and the threats facing the city but Felicity knows with her husband by her side and family like Tommy, their little miracle is going to be so very loved and so much more than okay. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Following Crisis, Tommy helps Felicity face a world without her husband

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd say I'm sorry, but I'm not, to be honest. Enjoy the pain, love you all :)

Tommy sighs as he slips into the sitting room of Queen Manor to find Mia and Donna. The small baby is sat up in her temporary crib and Tommy finds it in him to smile when the infant raises her arms towards him, gargling happily. 

“Hey there, Miss Mia. I love you, yes, I love you,” Tommy coos as he swoops his goddaughter into his arms, pressing a series of kisses to her head. 

“Hi Tommy,” Donna greets with a sigh, smiling sadly up at him. Tommy smiles back just as forlornly, transferring the baby to his hip and allowing her to tug on his hair happily. 

“Hey Donna, any movement?” He questions, looking upwards towards the ceiling with a concerned frown. 

“No, she’s still in bed,” Donna sighs, her expression contorting into worry and Tommy frowns too, taking a deep breath. 

“Okay, I’m gonna try,” He sighs, taking a deep breath as if to prepare himself following his statement of intent. He moves over to Donna, handing her the baby who goes happily into her grandmother’s arms, cuddling close. 

“Just… be gentle, okay?” Donna frowns, looking at him pleadingly but Tommy just smiles sadly, nodding his head. 

“I know, Donna. You forget, I’ve been her,” He comments forlornly, turning to head for the stairs when a small figure appears in the doorway, dressed in a hoodie Tommy recognizes to be one of Oliver’s. 

“Uncle Tommy?” 

“Will, hey, c’mere,” Tommy greets his nephew with a sad smile, gesturing him into the living room. The teenager heads straight for Donna, curling up into the embrace his grandmother offers. 

“Is Fliss still in bed?” William asks, looking over at Tommy in question, and Tommy sighs slowly, nodding his head as he tries to keep a smile on his face for the poor kid. 

“She is, I’m just about to go check on her,” Tommy confirms and William frowns, looking towards the doorway with a confused expression. 

“Shall I come with?” He asks, a glimmer of hope in his eyes and Tommy winces as he knows what he has to say. It makes his stomach twist to know he has to squash the first glimmer of hope his nephew has had in the week since Oliver’s death. 

“That might be a little overwhelming right now, buddy. You remember a few days ago when you asked Grandma to leave because both of us in your room was a bit much?” He explains softly, his stomach twisting painfully as William’s expression falls. 

“Yeah, I just… I miss her,” The teenager murmurs under his breath and Tommy feels his heart shatter all over again. 

“I know, buddy, I know. Tell you what, why don’t you come up in twenty minutes?” He finds himself suggesting, knowing that now his attempt to get Felicity up is even more important. 

“You sure?” William asks, that hope flickering in his eyes again and Tommy smiles, nodding his head. 

“Yes, I’m sure.” 

“Alright, Will, you’ve got the most important job,” Donna tells him with a smile, transferring his baby sister onto his lap with a soft smile. 

“Hi Mia,” William greets in a soft voice, everything about his growing more gentle as he spins his sister to look at him. Tommy feels tears spark in his eyes as he watches the two of them interact, his heart clenching as he notes how these two kids before him were Oliver’s entire world. He made a promise to the empty air when he heard the news of his best friend’s passing and he’s more resolute than ever to keep it. He’ll look after William and Mia as if they were his own until he’s reunited with Oliver. After all that Oliver gave for him, he knows he can’t do anything but. 

“I know, Donna, gentle,” Tommy comments with a nod when he notes the apprehensive look the matriarch is looking at him with. He slips out of the room just as Moira and Thea walk in, heading straight for the kids on the couch, and he takes their moment of distraction to trace the familiar path to Oliver’s childhood room in the mansion. 

It’s odd. Oliver hasn’t lived here since just after Slade’s siege on the city, finding his own apartment with Thea, but they’ve all settled back into the mansion with incredible ease. For Tommy, it's a dual-edged sword. It’s comforting to be surrounded by the familiar, in the home he was also practically raised in, but it also means that there are reminders of Oliver around every corner. If it’s not a photo, it’s a memory he recalls from their childhood, and it’s simultaneously soothing and heart-breaking. 

“Smoak? It’s Tommy,” Tommy calls as he raps his hand against the large wooden door of Oliver’s old room, leaning his weight against the wood when he gets no response. He knocks again, in a familiar pattern that he once used only for Oliver but he has since included Felicity within. 

“Go away,” A small voice calls from the other side of the door and Tommy takes a deep breath, shaking his head. It’s been a week, and whilst Tommy is perhaps the one person who can understand just how difficult what Felicity is going through is, he also knows that it’s time for some tough love. 

“Not happening,” He comments as he twists the doorknob, smirking a little to himself as it gives way and opens for him. 

The room looks pretty much just as Tommy remembers. Old posters of films he knows Oliver adored in his teenage years line the walls and there are old fading images of Tommy and Oliver as they grew stuck to the walls with blue-tac. He remembers with a sad smile how mad that had made Moira when she discovered Oliver had done it. 

Lying in the middle of the large four-poster bed is Felicity. She looks terrible. Eye puffy, her hair a frizzy mess around her head, and dressed in one of Oliver’s old t-shirt that Tommy suspects she’s had on for at least a week. It makes him feel like someone is wrenching his heart from his chest. This incredible woman who Tommy has been so privileged to learn to know and love over the past few years, to see her so despondent… it’s heartbreaking. 

“Tommy, I don’t want to talk,” She groans, staring at him through one half-hooded eye. Tommy winces as he realizes that she’s actually struggling to open them due to the puffiness from all the crying. 

“Well sucks to be you, Smoak, because I do, and you know me, I do what I want,” He shrugs, deciding that force is the best way forward with this. He knows it’s what Felicity truly wants, for someone to remind her why she’s still here and what she needs to do to go on in a world without her husband. Tommy promised Oliver before he left (unbeknownst to Felicity and the kids of course) that if anything were to happen to him, he would help them go on and he’ll be damned if he breaks that last promise he made to his best friend. Especially considering he just sacrificed his corporal body and presence on earth for all their lives. 

“Ugh, why am I your friend?” Felicity huffs, blowing a stubborn strand of hair out of her face as she sits up, tugging the covers up to hide her bare legs. 

“Because you love me,” Tommy smiles softly, sinking down onto the end of the bed. 

“Debatable,” She comments dryly but Tommy feels a jolt of happiness and pride flow through him when he notices the sides of her lips quirk ever so slightly. 

“But you’re smirking, bet that’s the first time you’ve done that in a while,” He reminds her and watches with an affectionate smile as she rolls her eyes and sends him a disapproving look. It’s the most  _ Felicity  _ she’s been in a week and the joy that realization sends through Tommy is the most happiness he’s felt away from Mia in a while. 

“Okay, you win,” Felicity admits and Tommy grins, twisting his shoulders in a preening manner. 

“Knew it.” 

A beat of silence passes between them and Felicity sighs, looking down at her lap for a moment. Her expression grows pensive and Tommy is about to speak when she takes a deep breath, looking up at him with heartbroken eyes. 

“How do you do it, Tommy? How do you wake up every day and face a world where she’s not there?” 

Tommy freezes at her question. 

Losing Laurel… it’s the hardest thing he’s ever done. She was the love of his life, and thinking about the fact that she’s no longer by his side still makes him want to curl into a ball and never face the light of day again, but he knows that’s not what she would want. She went out fighting, just like Oliver did, for a cause she believed in like almost nothing else, just like Oliver did, and Tommy knows that both of them would want them to continue that cause in their names and memories. 

“Someone very special told me something. She said, ‘you don’t have to be okay, you’re allowed to be broken’ and it’s because of people like her that I have the strength to face each day because I know I’ll always have them by my side,” Tommy explains to Felicity slowly, a small smile crossing his face as recognition crosses hers. 

“Seriously?” 

“It’s true, Smoak. And I know that Laurel wouldn’t want me to spend all my time mourning. There are so many better ways to honor her memory than being sad all the time. She wouldn’t want that. I know that she’d want me to put my energy into saving the world in the way she dedicated her life to doing,” Tommy adds, shrugging his shoulders as Felicity sighs, nodding her head gently. 

“I know you’re right, it’s just so hard to find the strength to do that without him here,” Felicity sighs and Tommy nods, reaching out a hand to land softly on her knee through the comforter. 

“And no one’s expecting you to do it right away, Felicity. He was the love of your life. As I said, it’s okay to not be okay, but you have us to lean on and to help you get through. But we can’t help if you don’t let us,” Tommy smiles sadly, squeezing her knee comfortingly and Felicity takes a shaky breath, tears starting to form in her eyes once more. 

“I just miss him so much,” She whispers shakily and Tommy swallows thickly, nodding his head. 

“I know, Felicity. I miss him too.” 

“Does it ever get better?” 

“Honestly? No. But you’ll find better ways to deal with it and the pain those memories bring you right now? They’ll bring you so much happiness down the line. Knowing that you had each other and that what the two of you had was as magical as it was will bring you so much joy,” Tommy sniffles a little, thinking of all the moments he was privileged enough to witness between Oliver and Felicity. They truly have a love like no other and Tommy knows that in the years to come, wherever Oliver is now, those memories will be a guiding light for Felicity, just like the memories he has of Laurel are to him now. 

“I just wish I’d been able to tell him how much I love him one last time,” She tells him softly, looking up from her lap through hooded eyes that are filled with water. Tommy surges forward, wrapping her in a hug as the tears finally spill over and she sobs into his shoulder. Tommy remembers the terror that gripped his heart after Laurel passed, knowing that he missed his opportunity to tell her the simplest truth of his life one more time. He knows that pain that flows through you at that realization, he just wishes Felicity didn’t have to experience that. 

Felicity and Oliver, for this to happen to them of all people. They’ve already sacrificed so much for the greater good, it just seems so unfair that their story has to end this way.

“Oh Felicity, he knows. He knows how much you love him and he loves you just as much,” Tommy whispers into her hair, rubbing a hand over her back. Her hands fist in his shirt as her body wracks with sobs, finally pouring that emotion out into someone else. Tommy lets her cry, knowing she needs it, and rubs his hand over her hair, knowing that whilst it’s something, it’s not what she truly wants. 

“The thought of the next fifty-odd years without him? That terrifies me,” Felicity sniffles as she pulls away and Tommy shakes his head, grasping for her hands and squeezing them gently. 

“You’ll find him again, you and I both know that this isn’t the end for the two of you, but for now? You can honor his memory through pouring your love into those beautiful kids and telling them the stories of his heroism,” Tommy smiles sadly, releasing one of her hands to cup her cheek with a smile, tapping her on the nose like he’s seen her do with William so many times. 

“You’re right,” She finally smiles sadly and he chuckles, shaking his head. 

“Of course I am, I’m Tommy,” He grins and she snorts, shaking her head as she reaches up to wipe her cheeks of her tears. 

“I love you, Merlyn,” She smiles at him and he smiles too, pulling her in for a light hug. 

“I love you too, Smoak.” 

They’re interrupted by a light knock on the door and they pull apart in time to see a small head appear around the large wooden frame, a nervous look on his face. 

“Fliss?” William asks, clearly apprehensive about disturbing her, but Felicity sits up and puts on a valiant attempt at a smile as she regards her stepson. 

“Hey buddy,” She whispers gently and William steps into the room, lingering in the doorway as if he’s unsure where he stands. 

“Can I come in?” He asks and Tommy feels Felicity shake next to him. He knows she’s guilty about not being there for William and Mia these past few days but Tommy knows William would never begrudge her that, he’s just been worried about his step-mother more than anything. 

“Of course. I’m sorry I’ve not been with it the past few days,” She tells him gently, moving to hold out an arm for him and William frowns, walking over to them and slipping in-between them. 

“It’s okay, it hurts to wake up without him, doesn’t it?” He asks, with so much innocence and pain in his voice that it breaks Tommy’s heart. This sweet boy, he’s already been through so much, and for him to have lost another parent so soon after he lost his mother… it’s desolating. 

“Yeah baby, it really does. But we’re going to face it together from here on out, okay?” Felicity whispers, wrapping her arm tightly around him to tug him into her side.

“I missed you, Fliss,” William whispers, wrapping his arms around her just as tightly and Tommy watches the emotion wash over Felicity’s face as she closes her eyes to savor the moment. 

“I missed you too, my sweet boy,” She breathes into his hair, both of them with silent tears slipping down their cheeks as they hold each other. 

“I’ll go downstairs,” Tommy comments quietly as he goes to stand from the bed, wanting to give mother and son a moment alone together. Felicity’s hand reaches out, fisting in his shirt again as she pulls him back. 

“No, Tommy, stay. You’re family,” She tells him gently and Tommy feels his heart clench as William lifts his weary head from Felicity’s shoulder, smiling sadly up at him. 

“Yeah Uncle Tommy, we’re going to need you too.” 

“And you’ve got me, buddy, always,” Tommy whispers back as he wraps his arms around the teenager. He remembers what he told Oliver before he left and, whilst he’s sure he’s right that his final fight wasn’t the last time this family will see each other again, he also knows he will never break his promise to his best friend. 


End file.
